The present invention is directed to a cathode and to a cathode mount in a gas laser having a housing tube with end pieces at opposite ends thereof, the end pieces receiving mounts for optical elements such as resonator mirrors or Brewster windows. A capillary functioning as a discharge channel projects into the housing tube, and a cathode is also provided in the housing tube which surrounds an end of the capillary. Such a gas laser with cathode is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 4,311,969, incorporated herein by reference. There, a nose is applied to the cathode, this nose being pressed or riveted into a metal cap. The metal cap represents the face end of the gas laser. This embodiment does not yield a satisfactory hold and electrical contact for the cathode, since the electrical connection is also supposed to occur via the nose, and a loosening of the connection arises as a consequence of mechanical and thermal stresses. It has been particularly shown that a loosening of the connection can occur and can lead to failures due to the great shrinkage of the cathode (usually composed of aluminum) when cooling after every heating.